Private Label Buyer

Allens Inc. — a Siloam Springs, Ark.-based grower and packer of national brand and private label canned and frozen vegetables  — announced its expansion into Van Buren, Ark., and Oakfield, N.Y. The Arkansas expansion will increase the company’s total capacity of canned sweet potatoes, and the New York expansion will help the company to continue capitalizing on the success of its frozen and canned vegetables in the Northeast.

Allens also announced the acquisition of a plant in Ft. Worth, Texas, which will provide a platform to grow the company’s canned business in Texas, the Southwest and the West. At 200,000 square feet, the state-of-the-art plant (acquired from ConAgra Foods) sits on 20 acres of land and will serve as a strategic distribution point for Allens.

“Last year marked a record-breaking year of sweet potato sales for Allens,” said Bobby Ray, senior vice president of retail sales and marketing at Allens. “Now with the $13.5 million dollar expansion of the company’s plant in Van Buren, Ark., it is expected that we will grow our total sweet potato capacity even more than ever. Allens’ long-standing relationships from growers of sweet potato crops from Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi will ensure the company will continue to meet our growing customers’ needs.”